Tandoori chicken is chicken dish prepared by roasting chicken marinated in yoghurt and spices in a tandoor, a cylindrical clay oven. The dish originated from the Indian subcontinent and is popular in many other parts of the world.

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According to eminent archeologist and vice-chancellor of Deccan College Professor Vasant Shinde, the earliest evidence for Tandoori chicken can be found in Harappan civilization and dates back to 3000 BCE. His team has not only found 'tandoors' at Kalibangan,[12] that resemble modern day 'tandoors', but also physical remains of chicken bones with char marks. He goes on to suggest that "Tandoori chicken was a Harappan delicacy".[13][14][15]

In the United States, tandoori chicken began appearing on menus by the 1960s. Jacqueline Kennedy was reported to have eaten "chicken tandoori" on a flight from Rome to Bombay in 1962.[20] A recipe for tandoori chicken was printed in the Los Angeles Times in 1963, for "the hostess in search of a fresh idea for a party dinner";[21] a similar recipe was featured in the same newspaper in 1964.[22]

The marinated chicken is placed on skewers and cooked at high temperatures in a tandoor oven, which is heated with charcoal or wood, which adds to the smoky flavour. The dish can also be cooked in a standard oven, using a spit or rotisserie, or over hot charcoal.[23]

There is a range of tandoori recipes for whole grilled chicken, some of which are cooked in a tandoor and others over charcoal. These include Chirga (Roasted whole chicken); Tandoori Murgh (Roast whole chicken with almonds); Murgh Kabab Seekhi (Whole stuffed chicken on the spit); Kookarh Tandoori (Steamed chicken on spit); Tandoori Murgh Massaledarh (Whole spiced chicken on spit); and Murghi Bhogar (Chicken in the Bhogar style).[24]

Tandoori chicken can be eaten as a starter or appetizer, or as a main course, often served with naanflatbread.[25] It is also used as the base of numerous cream-based curries such as butter chicken.[26] Local varieties of tandoori chicken prepared from the rooyi posto in Bengal have appeared in local eateries, particularly those between Kolaghat and Kolkata. Tandoori chicken was popularized in post-independent India by Moti Mahal, Daryaganj in Delhi[27][28] when it was served to the first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru.[29] There, tandoori chicken became a standard offering at official banquets.[29]

The fame of tandoori chicken led to many derivatives, such as chicken tikka (and eventually the Indian dish popularized in Britain, chicken tikka masala), commonly found in menus in Indian restaurants all over the world.[30] Nearly all derivatives of tandoori chicken begin with a yogurt and citrus-based marinade. [31][32]